Merge time predictions! With some takes so hot they needed one extra day to cool off.

Reader Predictions

Who do you think will go home?

Staff Predictions

Andy

The edit has been telling us for weeks that Cole has been in danger. Young, buff guys are always in danger at the merge if they don’t win immunity. Standard-issue gameplay would suggest for the former Heroes and Hustlers to band together to get rid of the most obvious “threat”. Standard-issue gameplay is the modus operandi for this season. Cole will leave.

Note: if we want something interesting to happen this episode/season, we should root for Cole to win immunity and Joe to become the target.

John

Is there a reasonable, strategic reason for JP to go home at this point? Probably not. Sure, you could make a mild case that he’s some kind of challenge threat, but this is just an optimistic prediction from me. I’m rooting for the season to improve, and removing the charisma void that is JP would improve the season for me.

Emma

This prediction was an especially hard one because it seems like any of the Healers besides Mike or Joe would be a target. I was really leaning towards Cole being the boot (and now I’m probably jinxing it) but now I’m thinking the trend of this season will continue and Desi will win the crown of Queen of Ponderosa.

Matt

I think Cole makes too much sense here. The remaining Heroes and Hustlers all have bonds that the show has shown us. Ryan with Chrissy and JP, Ashley with Devon, Lauren with Ben (this one is a little weaker admittedly). And Cole presents not just a target as a strong young male, but also has pissed off Lauren and Ben, meaning there is a personal reason that some people, especially some of the people they need, would want him out.

The possible hurdle here that could upset this plan and make everything very interesting is that both Joe and Dr. Mike have idols. Would either of them play an idol for Cole? Dr. Mike has already looked at him as a nuisance to get rid of, while Joe when put to the test in the past played his idol on himself. Also Joe’s previous idol could pull attention to himself, but if anything the fact that he already played one idol would make me think that the majority would be reluctant to target him immediately. Of course the cruelest outcome would be Jessica going down because the majority didn’t want to take a direct shot at Cole. But let’s assume that doesn’t happen, and I’m sticking with my Cole prediction.

Mark

Thinking too hard has gotten me nothing so far, so I’m going to go with the obvious threat here: Cole. He probably tells everyone about the merge advantage, wins immunity, and then tells another player where he put the necklace. Then they wear it to tribal, he’s vulnerable, and gets voted out. No Black Widows needed!

Editor’s note: so much for not thinking too hard.

	Andy	John	Emma	Matt	Mark	Readers
First Out	Katrina	Chrissy	Katrina	Katrina	Katrina	Katrina
Second Out	Simone	Patrick	Lauren	Ali	Lauren	Lauren
Third Out	Lauren	Lauren	Patrick	Patrick	Lauren	Lauren
Fourth Out	Joe	Jessica	Joe	Joe	Cole	Joe
Fifth Out	Roark	Roark	Roark	Roark	Roark	Roark
Sixth Out	Ali	JP	JP	Ali	Chrissy	Ali
Seventh Boot	Cole	JP	Desi	Cole	Cole
Score